During an eye examination, a series of tests are performed on a patient, who is typically seated in an examination chair. These tests can include an external examination of the eyes and surrounding tissues, tests to determine the acuteness or clearness of vision, examination of the pupils, and other examinations, tests or procedures pertaining to the eyes. Instruments are used during the eye examination and these instruments are typically retrieved from or stored on an associated instrument delivery stand positioned nearby the seated patient. For example, instrument delivery stands are known that include an instrument arm for presenting and positioning a table supporting an examination instrument in front of a patient. For example, a slit lamp machine may be supported on a table connected with an instrument arm, and is used by an eye doctor or other examiner to view different parts of the eye, including the cornea, the iris, the optic nerve, the retina, and the like.
For some stages of an eye examination, it may be desirable for a patient to be generally reclined rather than sitting upright in the examination chair. Accordingly, various examination chairs have been developed that provide adjustable seating positions. In a known example, an examination chair includes a back portion that pivots with respect to a seat portion are known. Examination chairs that provide a reclining seat portion are also known.
However, simple pivoting of a chair's back portion with respect to a seat portion might be uncomfortable for a patient and might not properly support the patient's body in the reclined position. A tilted and reclined position may be desirable in some circumstances, wherein a patient's entire body is tilted with respect to the upright seated position. Such a tilted and reclined position preserves the relative arrangement of the patient's body as when seated in the upright seated position, but provides the advantages of being reclined.
There is a need, therefore, for an ophthalmic examination chair that addresses one or more of the needs in the field of ophthalmic examination chairs and provides for appropriate tilted positioning of a patient during an eye examination.